The New Terminal One at JFK Launches first RFP for Operations With Ground Service Equipment Procurement

The New Terminal One at JFK Launches first RFP for Operations With Ground Service Equipment Procurement

The New Terminal One at New York John F. Kennedy International Airport has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for an all-electric fleet of ground service equipment, launching the first RFP for operations of the world-class, all-international terminal scheduled to open in 2026 in partnership with the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey as part of its $19 billion transformation of the airport.

An all-electric fleet of ground service equipment will play an important role in supporting the Port Authority’s strategy for reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the agency’s airports and facilities by 2050.

The New Terminal One is seeking vendors to provide, manage and maintain ground service equipment for a period of five years with two renewal options of two years each, for a possible total term of nine years. To optimize the efficiency of airport operations, ground service equipment will be pooled at the common-use terminal for use by all airlines.

Ground service equipment plays a crucial role in airport operations by ensuring that flights are loaded and ready to depart on time. Typical ground service equipment includes portable ground power units, mobile baggage conveyors, baggage carts, tugs, and aircraft steps.

In line with The New Terminal One’s deep commitment to sustainability, charging stations will be available at each gate to support an all-electric fleet of ground service equipment. Vendors interested in submitting proposals should offer an all-electric equipment solution with equipment that is currently available or will be available by January 2026.

“As The New Terminal One continues to advance, we are excited to begin to shape our operations with the launch of this first RFP. An all-electric fleet of ground service equipment underlines our strong commitment to operational efficiency, while reducing emissions and making air travel more sustainable,” said The New Terminal One president and CEO Gerrard P. Bushell.

“Ground service equipment is an essential part of airport operations and will play an important role behind the scenes to ensure that our customers have a seamless experience when arriving and departing from our terminal. We look forward to partnering with our chosen provider to deliver world-class service at The New Terminal One when it opens, ensuring that every experience is an extraordinary moment to remember,” said The New Terminal One executive vice president and chief operating officer Simon Gandy.

When complete, the New Terminal One will be the largest terminal at JFK International Airport, offering 23 gates in a 2.4 million square-foot space. The terminal’s first phase, which includes a headhouse and an initial 14 gates, will open in June 2026.

In 2022, the Port Authority established the Zero-Emission Airside Vehicle (ZEAV) rule, requiring the transition to zero-emission ground service equipment at the region’s three major airports, with the bulk of the GSE fleet required to be zero-emission by 2030. The Port Authority is also demonstrating its commitment to support the transition to electric GSE by the provision of charging infrastructure, requiring GSE charging at all new gates, and working with tenants on charging infrastructure plans.

Interested participants in the ground service equipment RFP may contact The New Terminal One’s procurement team at procurement@onejfk.com to request a copy of the RFP and additional details. Proposals are due on April 22, 2024. The New Terminal One anticipates selecting a vendor in the second quarter of 2024.

AFI KLM E&M to Support Australian Airline Bonza

AFI KLM E&M to Support Australian Airline Bonza

AFI KLM E&M and Bonza announced that an agreemen to provide component support for the growing Australian airline’s Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet. The support defined by AFI KLM E&M covers a broad scope tailored to Bonza’s requirements, including repair services, pool access and the provision of a Main Base Kit (MBK), as well as logistical and AOG support for airframe and LEAP-1B engine LRU’s. It will be managed and delivered from AFI KLM E&M’s logistics and distribution centers in Amsterdam, Miami and Kuala Lumpur.

AFI KLM E&M already supports a number of customers in the Asia Pacific & Oceania regions, with a local infrastructure – notably in Kuala Lumpur – enabling it to efficiently serve airlines in the region, not to mention its customer support teams already present on Australian soil.

“For a growing airline like ours that currently has a smaller fleet, we need to ensure that all our aircraft are operational so that we can deliver the best performance and experience for our customers,” said Tim Jordan, CEO of Bonza. “AFI KLM E&M’s equipment solutions, including the pool access program, are a response to this requirement, and we are confident that their know-how and global experience of the 737 product will be invaluable in delivering smooth operations for our fleet.”

Tommaso Auriemma, VP Sales Asia & Pacific at AFI KLM E&M, added: “We are honored by the trust placed in us by Bonza. By signing this agreement, AFI KLM E&M is extending its footprint in the 737 market in Oceania, and also enhancing the relevance and attractiveness of its solutions on all generations of the 737, including the MAX. We look forward to supporting the development of Bonza’s operations, a young and dynamic airline, through a long-term cooperation, starting with component support for their fleet”.

Liebherr and J-Air Sign Landing Gear Overhaul Agreement

Liebherr and J-Air Sign Landing Gear Overhaul Agreement

Liebherr-Aerospace and Japan Airlines (JAL) have signed a long-term service contract for the overhaul of landing gears. With this contract, Liebherr-Aerospace becomes the exclusive service provider for J-Air, a subsidiary of the JAL Group, for the maintenance, overhaul and repair of the landing gears of the airline’s E170 and E190 fleet.

Following the completion of the initial landing gear overhaul program which had started in 2019, this new contract renews the profound partnership between JAL and Liebherr-Singapore by extending the earlier landing gear overhaul program by another 17 landing gear sets. The new overhaul program is planned to start in mid-2024 and will extend until 2028.

“It is with great excitement that we embark on this continuous journey with Japan Airlines,” said Ekkehard Pracht, general manager aerospace at Liebherr-Singapore Pte Ltd. at the contract signing. “We are honored and grateful for their decision to once again entrust Liebherr-Aerospace with the overhaul of the landing gears for the remaining E170 aircraft and the entire E190 fleet. The contract is also proof of our continuous efforts to expand our footprint in the Asia-Pacific region.”

“JAL Group valued the high-quality maintenance standards that was provided by Liebherr-Aerospace and had chosen once again to collaborate with Liebherr-Aerospace. JAL Group is convinced that this partnership will further strengthen our long-term relationship,” commented Kojiro Yamashita, vice president of procurement at Japan Airlines.

The complete landing gear system for the E-Jet family (E170/175, E190/195) was developed and manufactured by Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH (Germany), Liebherr’s center of competence for flight control, actuation, gears as well as gearboxes and landing gear systems.

SKYSERVICE AND FONTAINEBLEAU PARTNER TO DEVELOP NEW FBO

Skyservice Business Aviation announced the completion of its investment in Fontainebleau Aviation’s fixed-based operator (FBO) development project at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL). This exciting venture marks the first co-development project between Skyservice and Fontainebleau Development as the companies join forces to create a private aviation gateway for leisure and business travel.

“The collaboration between Skyservice and Fontainebleau in developing the new era of FBOs has been remarkable,” said Skyservice CEO Benjamin Murray. “Today’s clients expect the amenities and conveniences of an FBO to match those of the best hotels, as well as efficiency and safety that exceed any standard or policy. We’re pleased to work with FLL and Broward County to meet these expectations and provide the best of what business aviation has to offer.”

The Fontainebleau Aviation FBO at FLL is expected to be complete by early 2025 and will include an 80,000-square-foot hangar, a 25,000-square-foot lobby and hangar offices, as well as an executive suite that includes an AV-equipped boardroom accommodating groups up to 20 people. The facilities have been expertly engineered to support the largest of business aircraft. Fontainebleau Aviation is now accepting hangar lease agreements.

“We are thrilled to partner with Skyservice to develop a one-of-a-kind luxury FBO grounded in 37 years of aviation thought leadership and award-winning service and safety,” said Jeffrey Soffer, Fontainebleau Development chairman and CEO. “This is a first in our expanding portfolio of premier destinations and best-in-class luxury experiences to bring to the aviation industry.”

Home to five of the top 25 busiest business aviation airports in the United States, Florida is one of the most significant markets in the industry. Upon completion, the Fort Lauderdale FBO positions Skyservice, through its joint venture with Fontainebleau Development, at two of the state’s busiest business aviation airports: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport.

CIRCOR Announces Partnership With FLYING WHALES for the LCA60T Program

CIRCOR Announces Partnership With FLYING WHALES for the LCA60T Program

CIRCOR’s subsidiary, CIRCOR Industria, has been chosen by FLYING WHALES as its partner for the development and production of critical helium valves essential for the LCA60T airship. These valves facilitate the controlled release of helium from the airship’s cells as needed during operations. A total of twenty-eight such valves will be integrated into the airship’s helium cells.

This strategic collaboration is the culmination of an extensive and collaborative effort spanning more than a year between the dedicated teams at CIRCOR and FLYING WHALES. A crucial co-engineering phase in 2021 allowed for precise specification and alignment regarding this pivotal helium management component within the airship and the contract was signed in 2023.

“We are delighted to seal this partnership with a major aeronautical industrial player. The proactivity of CIRCOR’s teams was decisive in our choice. For example, the creation of a scale model of the valve allowed us to anticipate the problems related to the size and optimization of the equipment,” explains Benoit Beaubier, program director at FLYING WHALES.

Furthermore, CIRCOR has been entrusted with providing a comprehensive integrated fuel distribution, storage, control, monitoring, and gauging system for the LCA60T turbine generators. The fuel management system will also be compatible with the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). The collaboration discussions commenced in August 2021 to evaluate potential synergies for the fuel management system supply. Extensive dialogue and assessments led to the identification of optimizations to harness the innovations presented by CIRCOR. The proposal put forth by the CIRCOR team emerged as the most effective, ultimately resulting in the contract’s signing in September 2023.

“We are really proud to be given the opportunity to be on board of such a disruptive project whose development represents a major step for us,” said Frédéric Gréhal, VP and general manager at CIRCOR. “All our employees are excited about it, and we have full support from our corporate.”

TrustFlight Introduces Smarter Workflows for Maintenance and Flight Ops Teams With Traxxall Integration

TrustFlight, a technology innovator focused on digitization of the aviation industry, has announced a new integration with JSSI’s Traxxall, an aircraft maintenance tracking and inventory system. The company says the integration will bring flight operations and maintenance teams closer through TrustFlight’s Electronic Logbook (ELB) software.

“At TrustFlight, we place a significant importance on developing integrations that lead to improved data reliability for smarter decision making and improved safety,” said Luke Franklin, product manager at TrustFlight. “Our collaboration with JSSI exemplifies our commitment to an open platform within our suite of solutions and we’re excited to introduce our Traxxall integration so operators can get more from the technologies they rely on daily.”

The integration enables seamless two-way data syncing for maintenance checks (due lists) and workpacks (workplanners), as well as one-way syncing for defects (snags) and totals (actuals) for enhanced data accuracy, improved safety and efficiency, better compliance management and improved aircraft availability. It also links user accounts for seamless traceability, meeting compliance and audit requirements.

Prior to the integration, there was a delay for data to populate into Traxxall as users were required to manually enter and cross-check data between the electronic logbook and maintenance tracking system. The integration of TrustFlight’s ELB with Traxxall streamlines these workflows, the companies say, which will lead to enhancing data accuracy, improving safety, and increasing operational efficiency by automating the exchange of information.

“Aircraft management begins with accurate data and technology to make decision making easier and smarter,” said Mark Steinbeck, chief commercial officer, JSSI Maintenance Software. “Through this integration, our joint customers benefit from real-time data feeds between systems, and we’re excited about this collaboration.”

TrustFlight’s ELB enables fully-digital workflows for crew and maintenance personnel by automating vital information to greatly enhance speed and accuracy while reducing man-hours required. The TrustFlight Integration Platform today hosts more than 20 integrations from leading applications used by operators around the world.

Delta is Using NAVBLUE’s Mission+ for Entire Fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft

Delta is Using NAVBLUE’s Mission+ for Entire Fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft

NAVBLUE and Delta Air Lines have signed a long-term agreement for Mission+, NAVBLUE’s Electronic Flight Assistant, which provides pilots with all the data and information they need to perform their mission via one modular digital solution.

The agreement includes the deployment of Mission+ on the global airline’s entire fleet of over 900 Airbus and Boeing aircraft and represents one of the biggest transitions from paper to an Electronic Flight Folder (eFF) digital solution in the aviation industry. In addition, NAVBLUE and Delta will work on further enhancing the application for pilots by adding new functionalities.

Delta has been involved in the development of Mission+ since its inception. This digital solution is now considered the most intuitive eFF on the market that minimizes pilot interactions. Delta has also been part of the early adopter program, together with other major airlines from different regions and with diverse types of operations. The airline provided feedback to build a tool adapted to pilots’ tasks for mission management in all flight phases (briefing, in-flight follow-up, reporting).

The agreement between Delta and NAVBLUE considers the airline’s requirements and community-driven needs. As a scalable and reliable solution, Mission+ FLIGHT, the integrated flight folder module of Mission+, is seamlessly integrated with its existing ground environment ensuring business continuity.

The full implementation process across Delta’s fleet has been achieved in less than two years, covering deployment, testing, and operational usage by the airline’s entire pilot community (more than 17,000 pilots), who are now using Mission+.

Mission+ removes the need to print paper flight plan information for every Delta flight, which represents saving more than 77.5 million pages annually (or around 4,000 trees), further supporting Delta’s ongoing efforts to embed sustainability across its business.

“On behalf of the NAVBLUE teams, I would like to thank Delta for their trust in this product and our people,” said Marc Lemeilleur, CEO of NAVBLUE. “By choosing Mission+ they are enabling their pilots to benefit from all the data and information they need to perform their mission via a unique modular digital solution. Working together we enabled the deployment of Mission+ on the entire fleet in less than two years, which is a great success for all of us.”

Ryan Gumm, flight operations senior vice president of Delta, added: “Achieving this major milestone is part of our commitment to removing operational complexities, as well as moving toward a more digital, sustainable future. Mission+ allows our pilots more time to focus on what Delta people do best – expertly serve our customers with safety top of mind.”

StandardAero Expands Global Rolls-Royce M250 Helicopter Engine MRO Leadership

StandardAero Expands Global Rolls-Royce M250 Helicopter Engine MRO Leadership

StandardAero has expanded its service offerings for Rolls-Royce M250 helicopter engine MRO services. The company has invested in maintaining the largest pool of rental and exchange engines/modules of any provider in the Rolls-Royce FIRST Network.

StandardAero says it has also developed material planning models to support customer requirements. The company is closely tied in with Rolls-Royce and Boeing to aid in mitigating ongoing supply chain challenges. In addition, the company continues to expand its shop capability and capacity both in North America and around the world. Moreover, StandardAero says it will continue to expand its component repair capability, and offer “more economical solutions to customers and greater control over turn time.” StandardAero is also investing in a second M250/RR300 test facility at its Winnipeg, Manitoba, location. This new facility will create additional capacity as well as capability redundancy, the company says.

StandardAero Neena Gill

“One of the things we are really proud of is the unparalleled level and scope of service we provide for M250 helicopter operators,” stated Neena Gill, vice president and general manager of StandardAero’s Helicopters business unit. “All of the actions we’ve taken in the past twelve months have improved our industry leadership and are paying off in the solutions we’re providing for our customers.”

StandardAero provides tip-to-tail services for Airbus and Bell model helicopters including engine MRO, complete engine accessory overhaul, airframe maintenance, avionics, structural repairs, AOG and field service support and various dynamic component at five facilities located in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.

“Our team works hard with customers. We listen to them. We work to increase the reliability of their engines. We ensure the quality is always above par, and that is something we stress. Through our engineering-heavy focus we work on customizing solutions for our customers for their specific needs — not just providing cookie-cutter answers,” Gill added.

AERO CARE Announces New Miami HQ as it Joins Forces With Alchemy Aero Corporation

AERO CARE Announces New Miami HQ as it Joins Forces With Alchemy Aero Corporation

AERO CARE has opened new headquarters in Miami, Fla. AERO CARE says the new facility is strategically positioned to support its rapidly expanding global customer base and it will house the organization’s stock of engine parts for CFM56 and V2500.

Focused on enabling operators to fly their engines for as long and as economically as possible, AERO CARE concentrates on mid- to late-life engines, providing solutions that cover green-time leasing, parts supply, and asset management.

“Miami is the commercial aviation engine hub of the Americas, so it is logical for AERO CARE to be based here, however we will be supported by our European office in Bucharest, Romania, to ensure our global reach and 24/7/365 service is faultless,” said Anca Mihalache, managing director, who has spearheaded this strategic move to the U.S.

“As a portfolio company of Alchemy Aero Corporation, the specialist aviation investment and trading platform, we have the secure financial support we need to acquire the engine assets our customers need. We have an ambitious growth target and look forward to cementing our position as a respected mature aircraft assets solutions provider.”

AERO CARE aims to stock inventory to help minimize fleet downtime and promote profitable operations, however Mihalache goes on to say that AERO CARE is more than just an engine trading and parts business. “We are passionate about aviation and ultimately what an aircraft represents – taking someone to their next adventure, or to a meeting that will build their business, or to visit family and friends. Our role is to make sure that these journeys can happen – that crucial business deals get signed, or that the open arms don’t go unhugged.”

Mihalache adds that AERO CARE’s business objective is to be an integral part of the team. “We don’t see ourselves as separate from our customers, when they work with us, it is no different to dealing with any other internal department. Our desire is to develop truly symbiotic relationships – so picking up the phone and calling us simply becomes the natural thing to do.”

PSA Airlines Offering Up to $32,500 in Sign-on Bonuses for Mechanics

PSA Airlines has announced a series of bonuses totaling up to $32,500 for aircraft mechanics who join PSA at its Dayton, Ohio or Savannah, Georgia, maintenance base by April 30, 2024. Bonus opportunities include a $15,000 sign-on bonus for joining as an aircraft maintenance technician or lead in Dayton or Savannah. A $5,000 sign-on bonus is being offered for those who join at other PSA maintenance bases, including Canton/Akron, Ohio; Charlotte, N.C.; Cincinnati; Pensacola, Fla.; Norfolk, Va.; Greenville, S.C.; and Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.

Other bonuses applicable to all PSA maintenance bases include an experience bonus for qualified aircraft maintenance technicians ($12,500 bonus for over three years of experience; $10,000 bonus for over two to three years of experience; and $7,500 for one to two years of experience) as well as a $5,000 toolbox or cash-in option. The company also offers $7,500 in relocation assistance for non-local candidates who are hired.

“At PSA, we place safety above all. Adding more experience and depth to our maintenance team will not only ensure we remain among the safest airlines in the industry, but it will also further drive reliability and our ability to operate more planes, providing customers with greater access to air travel,” said Richard Ugarte, vice president, maintenance and engineering at PSA. “Anyone who loves working on iconic planes like our all-CRJ jet fleet and who wants to be part of a driven, reliable and caring culture that provides unlimited career growth opportunities should apply today to join PSA’s maintenance team.”

In addition to lucrative sign-on and experience bonuses, like all PSA team members, PSA maintenance team members receive flight benefits for them and their eligible family and friends on American Airlines’ global network.

PSA Airlines is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines and operates an all-jet fleet consisting of exclusively Bombardier regional jet aircraft. PSA owns 51 Bombardier CRJ700 aircraft and 80 Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft. To apply, go to PSAairlines.com/mechanics-maintenance.